Oldest Newspaper In South Carolina.
INTERESTING
INTENS!
Paper Read by Mr. W. T. W
Agricultural Club and Pu
August 20th, 1885. Co
Contain About
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: At
our last meeting it was decided that
I should prepare an essay on ' The
Advantages of Small Farms and In
tensive Farming." I do not feel
competent to do justice to the ques
tion; nor will I have time to enter
into full details of this matter. >
But as the question is of so much
importance to our country and State,
I would feel like I was shirking a
duty not to say something; and per
haps what I say may be a key to
unlock our minds to the fact that
smali farms are the salvation of our
country, and the only way for a
farmer to be happy-with cash in
his purse to spend for the comforts
of life.
I once had a talk with a northern
man, who said that in his country 40
acres was considered a good farm,
and 100 acres a large farm. In
China, they say, a man can support
his family on 4 acres. I told this
northerner that some of our planters
had 2,000 acres of land, aud he ask
ed me if I knew there was such a
thing as being "land poor," and
making a failure on a large farm
when a small one would pay.
It is the dollars saved, not made,
that make men rich. As I have
never owned a large farm, I cannot
speak as to them except from obser
vation; but judging by the want of
improvements, rotten barns and
empty cribs that I see, seems that
only a narrow living comes from
them-and not profits enough to
keep the houses in decent repair.
You all kno*!->? ft,?*. -
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acting in this respect \ ian the other
crops, and since the ,v, oduct of an
acre is of greater val :ie, generally
speaking.
The success of tlu pot ato ia large
ly dependent on the crops preceding
it in the rotation. When the clover,
cow peas, or other leguminous crops
have been grown, the stubble of the
same furnishes a good supply of-ni
trogen. Perhaps the best rotation
isjthat obtained by growing corn
after sod and following with pota
toes.
It is not a good idea to grow over
two crops of potatoes in succession
on the same ground, although we
often find a plot of ground that has
been continuously used for potatoes
for five or six years, or even longer.
This latter course taxes heavily the
fertility of the soil, and as a neces
sity calls for liberal manuring, and
also involves a considerable risk
from fungus diseases.
A clean crop of potatoes can not,
as a rule, be grown on land that pro
duced scabby potatoes the preceding
year. The germs having once ob
tained a hold in the soil must be
starved out by growing thereon oth
er crops on which the scab has no
hold, such as grass or grain. These .
immune crops should be grown for
three or four years befo? e planting
in potatoes again.
Practical experience has proven
that a deep and thorough prepara -
tion of the soil is important for this
crop. Plowing can scarcely bete?
deep, unless the subsoil is brought to
the surface in so doing. If practica
ble, the plowing should be deeper
from year to year. While on an av
erage, the tubers are formed within
about 6 inches of the top of the
ground, the roots feed seyeral in
ches deeper.
Regarding the manuring, will ad
vise liberality in that line, as the
(Continued on page 8.)